Training Yanks at Commando Depot, Spean Bridge

The caption reads:

"Lt. John Lee Warner, British Rifle Instructor at a Commando Depot,
somewhere in Britain, giving instructions to U.S. Rangers, who are
training there. Speam-bridge, Scotland."

Date: 9 February 1943.

III-SC 180092, Credit NARA.




The caption reads:

"Sgt. Major Thomas Sawkins of a Commando Depot gives special
instructions on the use of a Tommy Gun to the U.S. Rangers in the
foreground. (L-R): Cpl. Chas. Shaw of Philadelphia, Pa., and Pvt.
James Yingling of Johnstown, Pa., and Pvt. Anton Karpowich of
Perth Amboy, N.J. Scotland."

Date: 7 February 1943.

III-SC 180094, Credit NARA.






The caption reads:

"Lt. Derek Burr of a Commando Depot stands behind four men of
a Ranger unit whom he is instructing in the use of a M.1. Rifle.
(L-R): Pfc. Vernon Dougherty of Altoona, Pa., Pfc. Chas. Perachka
of Mercer, Pa., Cpl. Alonzo Colds of Todd, N.C., and Cpl. Laurence
Hickman of Bishopville, Md. Scotland."

Date: 7 February 1943.

III-SC 180095, Credit NARA.





The caption reads:

"Members of a U.S. Ranger Battalion taking a ten mile speed march
somewhere in Britain.

"Members of A.U.S. 29th Ranger Bn., Spean-bridge, Scotland."

Date: 7 February 1943.

III-SC 180096, Credit NARA.





The caption reads:

"U.S. Rangers boarding a cutter for boating practice, somewhere in
Britain. Their workouts are done in conjunction with Commando Training.

"U.S. Rangers, 29th Ranger Bn., Speanbridge, Scotland."

Date: 10 February 1943.

III-SC 180097, Credit NARA.





The caption reads:

"Major Peter Cockraft, Second in Command at Commando Depot,
somewhere in Britain, poses with Captain Viscount De Jonghe,
Demolition Officer, at a Combined Operations Unit Training
Ground, somewhere in Britain.

"Commando Depot, Speanbridge, Scotland."

Date: 7 February 1943.

III-SC 180098, Credit NARA.





The caption reads:

"Lt. Col. C.E. Vaughan, Commandant of a Commando Depot
confers with this Second in Command, Major Peter Cockraft
on the day's schedule for a Ranger Unit. Speanbridge, Scotland."

Date: 12 February 1943.

III-SC 180099, Credit NARA.





The typed caption has faded badly. It appears to be:

"Somewhere in Britain a Ranger unit ... as part of their training.

"29th Ranger Bn. Exercise, Speanbridge, Scotland."

Date: 7 February 1943.

III-SC 180100, Credit NARA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/29th_Ranger_Battalion_(United_States)

If anyone would like high-resolution versions of these photos, just
let me know.

Nara xix - a set on Flickr


Dave

 

Blinking 'eck they are good - I think I found some similiar ones and posted them on here and couple of years ago. If I remember correctly I think they were either training for Dieppe or D-Day.

Ref Pic No.1 - Lt. John Lee Warner survived the war and his cap badge looks Recce Regt ?

Ref Pic No.2 - Sgt. Major Thomas Sawkins appears to have survived the war too. Can anyone check the Americans?

Ref Pic No.3 - Lt. Derek Burr survived the war. Can anyone check the Americans?

Ref Pic No.4 - Major Peter Cockraft and Captain Viscount De Jonghe survived the war according to CWGC.

Ref Pic No.5 - Lt. Col. C.E. Vaughan appears to have survived the war.

 

Blinking 'eck they are good - I think I found some similiar ones and posted them on here and couple of years ago. If I remember correctly I think they were either training for Dieppe or D-Day.

Ref Pic No.1 - Lt. John Lee Warner survived the war and his cap badge looks Recce Regt ?

Ref Pic No.2 - Sgt. Major Thomas Sawkins appears to have survived the war too. Can anyone check the Americans?

Ref Pic No.3 - Lt. Derek Burr survived the war. Can anyone check the Americans?

Ref Pic No.4 - Major Peter Cockraft and Captain Viscount De Jonghe survived the war according to CWGC.

Ref Pic No.5 - Lt. Col. C.E. Vaughan appears to have survived the war.

Well done, Andy!

Thanks.


Dave

 

Dave Ref pic 1 and 3 can you do a close up of the cap badges?

 

Excellent photos and thanks for posting. They were taken at Achnacarry Castle, Spean Bridge - I live in the next town just down the road so very much local to me. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Spean_Bridge_Commando_Memorial_PICT6239_r1.JPG

Regards
Hugh

 

Andy,

Here are the crops, resized to
2000 x 1656 for Pic 3 and 2000 x 1659
for Pic 1.








Dave

 

Bloody hell they are High Res pics !

First one definately Recce Regt -Recce Mitch might know who he was with before going there and the other chap looks Royal Ulster Rifles but not uber convinced.

Anyone know the significance of the tartan backing behind their cap badges - I'm assuming its a commando thing?

 

Nice pictures, Dave. Thanks.

I saw a British vet on TV the other day demonstrating how they were trained to use the Tommy gun in Burma. He was walking and firing it from the hip (with blanks) like the instructors in your first two photos. I've never seen Americans doing that before.
Very interesting.

Dave

 

Bloody hell they are High Res pics !

First one definately Recce Regt -Recce Mitch might know who he was with before going there and the other chap looks Royal Ulster Rifles but not uber convinced.

Anyone know the significance of the tartan backing behind their cap badges - I'm assuming its a commando thing?

I noticed the tartan backing, too.

This is mine:

File:Kerr tartan (Vestiarium Scoticum).png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



My grandfather was an Ayrshire lad.


Dave

 

Can you do the cap badges in Pic 6 as well?

 

Andy,

Here is Major Cockraft from Pic 7, resized to 2000 x 1899.





Dave

 

Owen, Do you think the other chap is RUR?

 

Andy,

The angle of the cap is not ideal, but here is Capt. De Jonghe
from Pic 6.





Dave

 

No ''quis separabit'' on scroll at base of badge so doubt it.
Dunno what else it is though.

I'll go get my book - Its not Gerry's mob is it, NIH?

The cap badge above looks like General Service Corps?

 

The badge (as near as I can find it) is in Head dress badges of the British Army and is listed The Royal Irish Regiment- The odd thing is, the regimental badge was not sealed until the 11th June 1993.

 

I've had a quick scan through the roll of honour in Let's Go - A History of the 29th Infantry Division in World War II. 29th Provisional Ranger Battalion was a semi-official unit formed within the division and actually participated in a handful of raids until it was disbanded in late 1943.

Anyway, there is only one close match - a Charles H Shaw in 115 Inf Regt; the snag is that he is listed as a PFC, not a corporal. No date of death.

 

Andy and Owen, since the Kipling and King book is apparently out of print, what are
your opinions of this book?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Badges-Second-World-Collections/dp/0747810915/ref=pd_cp_b_1



Dave